Poetics at dVerse~Song of the Stone

Victoria has prompted us to discover texture in art, this week at dVerse, and asked us to treat our words as art.  It's a fantastic task, that has had my mind running 1000 different directions.  In the end, I've resorted to using my favorite muse...

Song of the Stone

Have you ever felt the song of a stone
warmed by 1000 maritime summers,
traversed by an ocean of history

and shaped by the hands of tide upon tide
smoothed now, yet dimpled
hard edges eroded at the hands of time?

Have you ever sang in harmony
with the song of the stone
and felt universes spinning, histories

unraveling, secrets revealing themselves
as you pull it forcibly from its wet bed of sand?
It is the contrast of our evolution. 

Face warmed by late summer sun, its back
cold, dark, damp, but changing
as you cradle it against living flesh.

It's knows, you know? That it has been
noticed. As you sit and dig
your toes beneath the layers of each

tiny grain of sand, and you turn your awareness
to the world that changes within your palm.
You feel it raise its voice, feel it tickle and tingle

charging up your arm, racing through your body
absorbing your essence like
a new universe discovered,

a new verse for its song.
At the core of that vibration, it is the song's mighty refrain
that raises goosebumps upon your flesh

despite that maritime sun. Suddenly,
you awaken to our world, its world
and you know

you have always danced together
to the song of the stone.


Comments

Louise said…
Beautiful...I love the feel of a smooth stone in my hands. It's our connection to the earth...we feel it's vibrations. Lovely, Natasha
Claudia said…
this makes me want to dig my toes deep into the sand and talk to the ocean...a fresh and warm feeling to this tash....now this drive-in seems to be an inspiring place when you can hear the sea calling while you're sweating in this car..smiles
wishing you a lovely sunday tash...and if you excuse me...off to the find a drive-in...smiles
Unknown said…
Good job at inducing a feeling to the reader. Very sensory to me, resonating with the many times I've been walking or at water's edge. I used to collect pebbles and stones, unfortunately I grew out of it and I'm not sure where that collection went to. If I did I would dig it out now, and look for the shiniest and smoothest I could find. Excellent write Tash:)
Fireblossom said…
Oh stop it, Natasha. I was liking this poem very much from the start, but the way you wrapped it up was above and beyond. I could hear the gulls, and the waves coming in and sighing back out.

Just sayin...a person who can write all this about a ROCK, should be monitored, or something, lol. Or at least published obscenely often.
Scarlet said…
Very next texture of the sand and stone, and feeling of its history and time.

Love the ending lines (I do see the changes of your writing, and mine too as we learn new things together.)

"you have always danced together
to the song of the stone."
Anonymous said…
I love the contrast and similarities b/t the sand and stone... beautiful!!

~laurie
Brian Miller said…
It is the contrast of our evolution. that is a nice turn line tash...great making it personal as well...the song of the stone, worn over time by the elements yet still stong...i envy it on the beach though...smiles...toes in the water...in the sand...
Sheila said…
omg - this is magnificent, Natasha. but changing as you cradle it against living flesh - "living flesh" that line is awesome.

Also, impressed with the never-ending waves of tactile delights: "dig your toes beneath the layers of each tiny grain of sand," "tickle and tingle charging up your arm," vibration, it is the song's mighty refrain that raises goosebumps upon your flesh" and the title is perfect!

Loved it all - one of your best, IMHO
Unknown said…
I too want to dig my toes into san...
oh, so beautiful,
there is harmony in your writing,
warmth in the texture,
true art drawn from your words.

Everytime I visit your blog - there is more and more to love!

I agree with Sheila that this is one of your best! (IMHO... ;D)

~please continue sharing your sensitive-unique colorful creations (your crayons included...)

~love it here!
deb
hedgewitch said…
Natasha, you have made a simple rock into a living element of my psyche now. How did you do that?? I swear I can feel it, heavy and smooth in my hand. Just excellent work, not only with textures, but with ideas.

[My word verification is psycle--how weird is that?]
Arron Shilling said…
Het Tash,

I see im not the only one who sat reading your poem moving my toes all about my flip flops lol.
This felt great to read - a real poem of the senses - i was tickled and itchin and scratchin and squintin and wigglin - I dont even know why - perhaps i have fleas!

I seriously like this piece tash - i felt the heat the damp and all else besides - the song of the stone is just cool as an idea - i once wrote a paper on how stones could have a conscious life (philosophy/psyche jibberish) - how they may vibrate at a lower frequency than us. But i developed a thing for stones and such - anyway your poem made me think of that - which i loved.

I must also say thanks for your great comments on my spot - i so appreaciate your feedback and i would have to say that the things you had written on my painting piece couldnt have been more accurate if i had written it - it feels great to know im communicating without being too overt.

Thanks

Arron
Beachanny said…
Exceptional work Tash. Before long you will be named the Nova Scotia poet laureate. With each exploration of your place in the maritimes, you give us a deeper feel and understanding of it and your view of it. Thank you so much.
Lovely, musical-- true song. I think you meant "Have you ever sung" in one of the lines-- very imaginative.... I wonder what the poet's obsession with poems-- many of us seem to have stones in our work-- comes down to? A primal, totemic object for sure...xxxj
Pat Hatt said…
Great job with your favorite muse
How can you lose
Also want to just sink my feet right in the sand
I guess exploring this little old province can be quite grand..haha
Anonymous said…
I agree with Arron, Sheila, and Joy and wish I'd gotten here sooner. This is my favorite of yours I've read so far, magnificent! Ever since I was a toddler I've been collecting stones (unfortunately they kept being returned to the wild by my mother). I love this poem deeply and truly, thank you!
I am in love with stones of all kinds — great rocks, tiny pebbles, crystals — so I am full of delight to contemplate 'the song of the stone'.
Reflections said…
Wow... stunningly beautiful, evocative. Maybe because I just came from there, maybe because you have taken me back, to explore a little more, to feel the world carved into the smoothness of your tale.
Victoria said…
Tasha, my dear, this is so, so good. I love stones and crystal and the like, thinking of their history. They have stories to tell. (The Native Americans consider them the world's historians) Your writing is beautiful. Today up at Lake Tahoe, I was in awe of the huge boulders that surrounded us. This is perfect for the prompt. Thank you.
Unknown said…
What a fantastic idea for a poem. I felt like I was in that moment, holding the stone, turning it, feeling it and it's history. Well done :)
Lance said…
The beach and those stones are some of my favorite smells, sights, and textures. Thanks for putting me in the middle of a calm place.

Made my morning.
Anonymous said…
I love the stones. You rock.
Chasing Tao said…
...ahhh, me...song of the stone, how wonderous!

"Have you ever sang in harmony
with the song of the stone
and felt universes spinning, histories"

B-U-TI-MOUS Natasha...there is energy in everything in the universe! And the stones, crystals, rocks all have their own unique quality...and we can connect with that energy by feeling/connecting with the stone...

Holding a rose quartz and meditating with it in our hands allows that rose quartz-love energy to flow right into us...

Our people are missing so much in nature by giving over to the false toys and greed that our materialistic society dangles in front of it...so sad for them to miss all the beauty in the world!

But, change is on the way...

Loved this poem Natasha!

Cheers,
Roger ☺
Anonymous said…
"you have always danced together
to the song of the stone"

{sigh}

an exquisite poem in its own right and absolutely stunning take on the prompt!
LOVE this, Natasha! ♥ dani
Anonymous said…
I Like it. I always like everything better with art. muse?

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